MDT “in constant evolution,” President says in meeting
(Eagle News)–President Bongbong Marcos and United States Secretary of State Anthony Blinken discussed the Mutual Defense Treaty in the latter’s courtesy call in the Palace on Saturday, Aug. 6.
Marcos said in the meeting that the MDT “is in constant evolution, I’d like to think of it.”
The MDT is a defense accord signed between the Philippines and the US in which each party “recognizes that an armed attack in the Pacific area on either of the Parties would be dangerous to its own peace and safety and declares that it would act to meet the common dangers in accordance with its constitutional processes.”
“As I spoke with your Ambassador some time when she came, is that we cannot, we can no longer isolate one part of our relationship from the other,” President Marcos said, noting that the two countries were “too closely tied” because of their “special relationship” and the history they share.
“And of course, all the assistance and help and support that we have received from the United States over the years,” he added.
Blinken, meanwhile, told the President that “we’re committed to the Mutual Defense Treaty.”
“We’re committed to working with you on shared challenges,” he said.
“What’s so striking to me, Mr. President, is that [we’re] working together on bilateral relations between us, we’re working together in the region, and increasingly, we’re working globally,” he added.
Blinken arrived in the country on Friday.
He was also scheduled to meet with Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo on Saturday morning.